Amusement apparatus.



No. 809,589. PATENTED 'JAN. 9, 1906.

E. s. TIMMONS. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 1905.

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AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed May 5, 1905. Serial No. 258,936.

1'0 alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. TIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide an amusement de vice for the purpose of creating the sensation and illusion of sailing in a boat in a more or less rough sea.

In carrying out my object I provide, broadly stated, a receptacle containing sufficient water to float a boat of a size large enough to accommodate, preferably, several occupants. Means are provided to give a rocking motion to the receptacle, and thus generate waves therein to rock the boat, which is held against material longitudinal or lateral movement in the receptacle.

In the drawings I have illustrated my amusement apparatus with a spectators platform surrounding the rocking receptacle and with means for permitting ready access to and exit from the boat.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my amusement apparatus; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section taken at line 2 in Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the receptacle with the platform surrounding the same removed; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the water-receptacle and attendant parts, showing in dotted line the water-levels when the receptacle is tilted to different positions.

A denotes a receptacle for water, preferably of oblong shape and having the ends a a, which are rounded and covered, as shown in Fig. 4, serving to prevent the water from flowing over the ends during the rocking movement of the receptacle. The bottom of the receptacle is depressed, as shown at b, to increase its depth at its central portion and forms a basin in which a boat B floats. The receptacle A is mounted on trunnions 0, carried by the supports D, located on opposite sides of the receptacle to adapt it to be rocked endwise in the vertical plane. Buffers E, located below the receptacle under each end, are provided to produce, preferably, a quick rebound in each rocking movement produced by the power mechanism F. The boat B may be of ordinary construction, the kind having a deep keel, such as shown in the drawings, being preferred, and it floats upon the water contained by the receptacle. The boat is held in substantially the same longitudinal position with relation to the receptacle during movement of the latter by rods or cables cl (1, secured on the inner surfaces of the opposite ends of the receptacle and carrying coiled springs d d, secured, respectively, to the opposite ends of the boat. These spring-equipped rods or cables while serving to permit the boat to rock and toss hold the boat yieldingly in the same longitudinal position relative to the receptacle, whereby the boat is prevented from being tossed against the receptacle at any part.

The rocking motion of the receptacle may be produced by a power device F of the construction shown, which consists of an electric motor e or other suitable driving means, gears f, and a pitman g, pivotally secured at one end to a wrist-pin 72 on the last gear of the train and pivoted at its opposite end to one end of the receptacle. The operation of the mechanism F causes the pitman g to be raised and lowered, thus rocking the receptacle on its trunnions C.

A stationary platform G on a level with the sides of the receptacle A at its central portion surrounds the receptacle at a sufficient distance from it to provide a space i.

H H denote counterbalanced gang-planks adapted to be raised and lowered and to termin ate over the sides of the boat, preferably amidships.

If it is desired, the inner surfaces of the receptacle may be painted to represent the sea, and scenery may be provided beyond the receptacle in a manner to be stationary or to travel around or past it, thus creating the illusion to the. occupants of the boat of traveling through the Water while it is being disturbed.

In the rocking of the receptacle the surface portion of the water to a desired depth is rushed more or less violently from one end a to the other in a manner to create waves, which will rock and toss the boat. At the same time the construction prevents the splashing of water over the sides or ends of the receptacle or onto the deck 0.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a water-receptacle, means for moving the receptacle to agitate the water therein, a boat supported by the water in IIC said receptacle and means for preventing the boat from striking against the walls of the receptacle.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, an oblong water-receptacle, means for rocking asid receptacle to agitate the water therein, a boat supported by the water in said receptacle and means for preventing the boat from striking against the Walls of the receptacle.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, an oblong water-receptacle having a depressed center portion, means for moving said receptacle to agitate the water therein, a boat supported by the water in said receptacle and means for preventing the boat from striking against the walls of the receptacle.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a water-receptacle, means for rocking said receptacle, buflers located below the opposite end portions of the said receptacle, a boat supported by the water in said receptacle, and means for preventing the boat from striking against the walls of the receptacle.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a water-receptacle, bearings therefor between its ends, means for rocking said receptacle on its bearings, a boat supported by the water in said receptacle and means for preventing the boat from striking against the walls of the receptacle.

6. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a water-receptacle, bearings on which said receptacle is pivotally mounted between its ends, gear and pitman rocking means for the receptacle, a boat snpported by the water and means for preventing the boat from striking against the walls of the receptacle.

7. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a Water-receptacle, means for moving said receptacle foragitating the-water therein, a boat supported by the water in said receptacle and means for maintaining the boat in substantially the same longitudinal position relative to the receptacle comprising resilient connections secured to said boat and said receptacle.

8. An amusement apparatus comprising,

in combination, a Waterreceptacle, means for moving said receptacle to agitate the water therein, a boat supported by the Water in said receptacle, and means for maintaining the boat in substantially the same longitudinal position with relation to the receptacle, comprising spring-equipped rods secured to the opposite ends of the boat and receptacle respectively.

9. An amusement apparatus comprising, in combination, a Water-receptacle, means for moving said receptacle to agitate the water therein, a boat supported in the water in said receptacle, means for preventing the boat from striking the walls of the receptacle, a stationary platform adjacent to said receptacle and a gang-plank adapted to be raised and lowered to span the space between the boat and said platform.

EDWIN S. TIMMONS.

In presence of A. U. THORIEN, J. H. LANDES. 

